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VFT seeds

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theyellowdart

theyellowdart

sea bear returns!
I recently recieved some flytrap seeds and just had a few questions before I sow them.

Do I need to stratify them?
Will they germinate outside in full sun?
How long are they viable for?
Is it ok to skip the first dormancy?

Any tips would be appreciated as well.

-Matt
 
No need for stratifaction.

Try to grow under grow lights in a baggie or terrarium.

Not very long.

Yes, in a terrarium. But they need it later.
 
i threw a packet of them(about 30 seeds) in my mini bog and only about 5 sprouted. hope you have better luck. the other packet were all duds.

~b
 
You will get better germination if the seeds are stratified.
I stratify mine by placing the seeds in pots in the garage in the winter. My temps are in the low to mid 50's in the garage. I keep them there 6 weeks before bringing them upstairs by the window. Most seeds germinate.
Late spring I move the plants outside.
 
I got a packet of about 30 Dionaea seeds (might have been 31) from the ICPS on March 24th. I sowed the seeds immediately on peat and put them in my terrarium. On April 16th I started seeing germination. Since then about 18 of them have germinated and I am still seeing more germination over the last few days.

Stratification isn't necessary.

Seeds will germinate outside in full sun, but I would think they would do better protected from the harsh elements in a terrarium.

Dionaea seeds are supposedly best sown within 100 days after being collected. Germination rate will be highest. However, I assume the seeds that I sowed at the end of March were from the end of last summer and so far I have about 60% germination rate. Not too bad for seeds that were probably over 200 days old.

I have read from reputable sources that it is ok to skip dormancy the first year. I am going to try it with my seedlings.

Here are a few pics of my seedlings:

Seed_Germinating_more.jpg

Four_seeds_germinating.jpg

Four_seeds_germinating2.jpg


You can see more pics here:
Venus Fly Trap Seeds

Matt
 
Mossy mold (I think it is called green algae) growing on the peat moss. It looks pretty bad up close, but you can't really even see it when you are normal viewing distance from it.
 
Yeah I had some germinate in about two weeks. I used those jiffy kits with my own peat under grow lights. I'm skipping the first year of dormancy with these but you are in North Carolina (go panthers!) so maybe you could just grow them outside like a normal VFT.
 
No need to stratify.

The plants flower in April/May and the seeds fall to the ground and germinate soon after. They get 3/4 of the growing season to establish themselves before winter arrives.

Unlike sarracenia for example, there is no chemical inhibitator to germination that needs to be broken down by cold weather.

In fact, by the time winter arrives the seeds are dead anyway. Dionaea seeds rarely germinate unless they are fresh and any of these do it yourself packs in shops are a waste of time (if not fraudulent to sell in the first place).
 
How do you know when your seed pods are ready? I have a dozen or so from 2 different plants that I pollinated that are shriveled up right now
 
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